What is a red eye flight?

A red eye flight is generally any commercial airline flight that departs late at night and arrives early the next morning. The term is most commonly used in North America for flights that travel overnight from the west coast to the east coast.

Key Characteristics:

• Departure Time: Typically leaves between 9:00 PM and 1:00 AM.
• Arrival Time: Usually arrives between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM.
• Direction: Often travels eastbound to maximize the time change advantage.
• Purpose: Allows passengers to arrive early in the morning and potentially have a full day of work or leisure.
• Consequences: Can lead to sleep deprivation due to flying through normal sleeping hours, resulting in jet lag-like symptoms even without crossing multiple time zones.
• Potential Benefits: Can be more affordable than daytime flights and may allow for more productive use of time.
• Considerations: Passengers should consider strategies for getting rest on the flight, such as using eye masks, earplugs, or taking melatonin, to mitigate the effects of sleep disruption.